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Georgia Kicks Off Teen Driver Safety Week

Georgia Department of Driver Services Kicks Off October Teen Driver Safety Week

shutterstock_106968101Car accidents, whether from distracted driving, DUI, or simple random occurrence, are a regular problem in the state of Georgia and much of the country. It is important for teenagers to learn safe driving techniques early, so Georgia has created Teen Driver Safety Week, which began Sunday, October 19th.

State officials want to send the message that it is deeply important for parents to talk to their teen drivers about driver safety and problems that can lead to car accidents. Distracted driving in particular is a huge problem across the country, not just in Georgia, and many young people fall victim to distracted driving because they focus more on smart phones, radios, or their friends than the road.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gathers statistics on car accidents, and their studies show that the leading cause of death for children ages 14 to 18 is a car accident. One of every two accidents involving a teenage driver, according to their statistics, ends in serious personal injury or death.

A federal study in 2013 showed that teen drivers were more likely to engage in other dangerous driving behaviors if they regularly engaged in texting and driving, one of the most serious distracted driving behaviors.

The CDC found that teens who participating in texting and driving were five times more likely to drive after consuming alcohol, compared to teenagers who did not text and drive. Teen drivers who commit texting and driving offenses were also much less likely to wear their seatbelts – they were up to 40% more likely to forget to put on their seat belt than their counterparts.

“Crashes end more teen lives than homicides, suicides, and cancer combined.  Some of the reasons for that is teens don’t have the experience behind the wheel because they just started driving.  Statistics show that one in six teenagers are going to crash during that first year of driving,” said, Doug Shupe of AAA.

However, a government survey shows that only 1 in 4 parents has had a serious discussion with their new teen driver about dangerous driving behaviors.

Georgia offers “5 to Drive” tips on topics that parents should discuss with their teen drivers:

  1. No Drinking and Driving.
  2. Buckle Up. Every Trip. Every Time. Front Seat and Back.
  3. Put It Down. One Text or Call Could Wreck It All.
  4. Stop Speeding Before It Stops You.
  5. Observe Passenger Restrictions.

The Strom Law Georgia Car Accident and Distracted Driving Attorneys Can Help

The Strom Law Firm has experience dealing with automobile accidents and insurance companies, and can help ensure you receive fair compensation for all your injuries, whether immediate or on-going medical issues. Even those cases which do not involve life altering injuries or complex legal questions are often defended aggressively by insurance companies. The insurance companies who most often defend at-fault drivers spend millions of dollars teaching their adjusters how to successfully deny claims. Many insurance companies are particularly hard on teen drivers, because they assume the child engaged in distracted driving of some kind.

At the Strom Law Firm, LLC, in Georgia and South Carolina our attorneys are skilled in dealing with the various issues that arise during the course of your case. We offer free, confidential consultations to discuss your Georgia car accident case, so contact us today. 803.252.4800